Apparatus and method for planning bus systems

ABSTRACT

According to the invention, a method and an apparatus are provided for determining bus system parameters and/or configurations, in particular of field bus systems, in the form of digital information, lists, plans and graphical representations, which apparatus comprises a device for detecting, storing and selecting both machine-related and bus-related data and, furthermore, has at least one output device for outputting and/or displaying and/or transmitting data.

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for determining bussystem parameters and/or configurations, in particular for fieldbussystems, in the form of digital information, lists, plans and graphicalrepresentations, as claimed in claims 1 and 10.

Methods are known which are used essentially in manual form to assistthe process of configuring the fieldbus technology within the process ofsystem automation. In these methods, the peripheral signals from, forexample, sensors or actuators which must be processed to drive themachines are defined first of all. Depending on the peripheral signalsto be detected, appropriate fieldbus modules are then selected and areconnected to the sensors and actuators used. The so-called fieldbustopology is then defined in order to interconnect the fieldbus modulesin a suitable manner.

In practice, it has been found that, where the fieldbus modules areinstalled in cabinets, the time penalty for manual planning of the abovesteps can still be kept within limits. However, fieldbus modules are nowno longer used only in cabinets but are also widely distributed directlyon the system, and the planning effort has increased virtually as muchas the effort required for retrospective adaptations.

The invention is thus based on the object of avoiding the abovedisadvantages, that is to say providing an apparatus and a method, whichapparatus simplifies the planning and implementation of, in particular,automation requirements on the basis of fieldbus technology, and whichapparatus furthermore assists and allows new procedures for the processof configuring corresponding systems.

This object is achieved by the features of claims 1 and 10. According tothe invention, an apparatus for determining bus system parameters and/orconfigurations, in particular for fieldbus systems, in the form ofdigital information, lists, plans and graphical representations isprovided which comprises a device for detecting, storing and selectingboth machine-related and bus-related data and, furthermore, has at leastone output device for outputting and/or displaying and/or transmittingdata.

Furthermore, in order to achieve the object according to the invention,a method is specified which can be used for defining or providing bussystem parameters and/or configurations, in particular for fieldbussystems, in the form of digital information, lists, plans and graphicalrepresentations. In this case, the method comprises the step ofdetecting storing and selecting both machine-related data andbus-related data, which can then be output and/or displayed and/ortransmitted in a further step.

The method according to the invention and the apparatus according to theinvention for the first time provide the capability, in the form ofsteps, of simplifying and speeding up automation requirements on thebasis of fieldbus technology, to assist planning and implementation.

In an advantageous development of the apparatus according to theinvention, this apparatus comprises a device for carrying out selectivemanual and/or automated logical operations on the input data. Inparticular, a device such as this offers the advantage that it is ableto match machine-related and bus-related data detected by the apparatusaccording to the invention. This means that the apparatus according tothe invention is able either fully automatically to link the inputmachine data to the data from the detected bus modules, or it ispossible to operate the apparatus manually as well, in order to producethe appropriate logic operations. Such logic operations may, inparticular, comprise linking data from connection points of, forexample, sensors and/or actuators to corresponding data from associatedfieldbus modules. The peripheral signal data required for this purposemust, or course, first of all have been recorded and/or stored in theapparatus according to the invention in the course of detectingmachine-related data.

Within the scope of the invention, the machine-related data comprise, inparticular, design data relating to the detection, setting andprocessing or peripheral signals from the sensors and/or actuatorsmentioned above. In this case, the apparatus according to the inventionadvantageously has devices for reading such data, as are known to aperson skilled in the art and working in this field. Such interfacesmay, however, also be used, for example, to link or connect a CAD systemfor machine design, in order in this way to allow direct access to theappropriate data.

Furthermore, in an advantageous development of the subject matter of theinvention, the apparatus comprises a device which is able, for example,to assign suitable addressing to a data record comprising machine-designdata and bus-related data. Such addressing is of major use since theapparatus according to the invention is in consequence able to providedata for subsequent programming of an automation system even at thestage when the fieldbus system is being planned. This also offers theopportunity to link or couple a programming tool to the apparatusaccording to the invention and/or to the planning tool according to theinvention.

In a further very highly advantageous development of the apparatusaccording to the invention, this apparatus comprises a device forproviding a bus system architecture. On the basis of differentrequirements for logic operations between machine-bus-related dataand/or bus-bus-related data, this device is able to produce a bus systemarchitecture, and check the feasibility of this bus system architecture.The process of providing the system architecture and the bus topology inthis case comprises, for example, detailed interconnection requirements,on the basis of which the topology that is produced can be implementedin practice.

The apparatus according to the invention accordingly and advantageouslyallows the configuration of fieldbus systems. The configuration may inthis case be related to various detail and/or viewing levels. Such aselective approach allows the user to use the apparatus according to theinvention on the basis of specific interests, problems or functions. Inthis context, it is also possible to produce signal lists withassociated control addresses, for example, which give a programmersufficient information for subsequent or parallel programming of thesystem.

In this case, it is likewise a major factor that the apparatus accordingto the invention also comprises a device which allows an interactivelogic operation to be carried out on both internal and external data anddata fields. This results in the positive effect that changes which, forexample, have been completed in one view can, if desired or necessary,be transferred to other data or data fields and/or views, directlyand/or interactively. However, this also means that all views access thesame database and that these views are interactively linked.

A positive development of the subject matter of the invention alsoprovides for an ECAD processing tool, which is known to a person skilledin the art, to be included in the apparatus according to the inventionand/or in the processing tool according to the invention. Such a linkhas the advantage that the processed and/or stored data provided by theapparatus according to the invention can be used to produce a circuitdiagram directly.

Particularly in the step of detecting, storing and selecting in theprocess of reading machine-related data, the method developed in thecourse of the invention comprises the step of detecting design data.Such data essentially relate to peripheral signals from the sensorsand/or actuators of machines or machine parts which signals are intendedto be detected, set and processed in order to operate the system. Thesaid data are read to the apparatus according to the invention, and areprocessed further, either separately as logic-operation data between busmodules and the installation location in the machine, or as linking databetween bus modules. This means that the interactive signaling of themachines or of the machine parts and the bus modules have been definedeven before being input into the apparatus according to the invention.The correctness of the logic operations is then checked in the course ofthe method according to the invention.

In addition to selective reading of various logic operation data, it isalso possible in the method according to the invention to readinformation directly from a machine construction drawing which has beenproduced, for example, using a CAD system, in the course of a methodstep which can be selected on an optional basis.

In further method steps, bus modules are then selected on the basis ofthe data which has been read, and these bus modules are assigneddifferent design data and/or machine or machine parts sensors and/oractuators to be driven. So-called signal lists can then be produced onthe basis of these logic operations.

However, the further processing of the information recorded in themethod step of detecting, storing and selecting not only involveslinking bus modules to peripherals to be driven but, in a further step,likewise interactively connecting the bus modules themselves to oneanother. The arrangement of bus modules which result from this is outputin the form of a bus interconnection list, in the step of outputting anddisplaying the data in conjunction with the method according to theinvention.

With respect to producing the data lists described above, the methodaccording to the invention comprises a further step, which mayoptionally be applied to data records or data, such that the data or thedata records are assigned an address. Subsequently, this addressing isessentially used for further-processing of the data by the automationprogram to be produced by a programr.

In a further very highly advantageous development of the subject matterof the invention, the method according to the invention furthermore hasa method step during which a bus system architecture or bus topology isproduced on the basis of the data which has been entered and/or on whichlogic operations have been carried out. Once the bus system has beendesigned, the bus topology produced on the basis of the input data orparameters are then checked, in the course of the method according tothe invention, for technical feasibility. Should any problems occur inthis context, it is possible in the course of a further step of themethod according to the invention to make adjustment proposals whichwould lead to a bus system which can run. Data can also, of course, beinput manually independently of this.

In an advantageous development of the subject matter of the invention,it is also possible, in a further method step, to pass on to an ECADdata processing tool data obtained in the course of the method. In thisway, it is possible to develop a circuit diagram directly from the dataobtained, which can then be implemented in practice.

The invention will be described in more detail in the following textusing preferred embodiments and with reference to the attached drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 shows an output-oriented illustration of the method according tothe invention and of the apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration which is intended to show thedesign of a bus system based on the mechanical design parameters thathave been read;

FIG. 3 shows the basic screen layout of the projection apparatusaccording to the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration which shows the screen layout whenthe design view has been chosen as the view;

FIG. 5 shows the screen layout of the apparatus according to theinvention when the signal-list view has been selected as the view;

FIG. 6 shows the schematic screen layout of the apparatus according tothe invention when the bus interconnection list view has been selectedas the view;

FIG. 7 shows an overview of possible solution versions for the purposesof the method according to the invention and the apparatus according tothe invention.

The exemplary embodiment which is described in detail in the followingtext is essentially a tool for planning and configuration of automationsystems, which comprises a plurality of individual tools, which are eachresponsible for task elements for the purposes of the method accordingto the invention and the apparatus according to the invention.

On the one hand, the apparatus according to the invention assistsplanning according to the previous prior art. In this case, fieldbusmodules, sensors and actuators are selected from an electronic,customer-specific catalog, and their interconnections to one another arechecked for functionality, with an interconnection requirement beinggenerated from this. In this context, the aim is also to minimize thecapability of tools according to the invention, the planning of thelinks between the fieldbus modules, and the connections to the modules.

On the other hand, machine design data are read to the apparatus inorder to assist known planning methods which are essentially carried outmanually. When the data are being processed, the system according to theinvention determines which peripheral signals need be detected, set andprocessed, for example, by sensors or actuators in order to operate thesystem. In this case, external access may also be made to the assignmentdescribed above on the apparatus according to the invention. Dependingon the nature of the sensors and actuators to be used, for example themaximum current drawn by the sensor and the number of sensors, theapparatus according to the invention chooses fieldbus modules from adefined catalogue as appropriate. At this point, it should also bementioned that this selection process does not require the apparatusaccording to the invention to be exclusively automatic in operation, andit is also possible to make external access or to carryout externalactions relating to the selection of the modules, depending on therequirement. A corresponding situation also applies to the subsequentfunctions of the apparatus according to the invention. As a rule, theapparatus in this case refers back to modules already used inconjunction with existing automation systems and defines whichperipheral signals are connected to which fieldbus module, and where inthe system the individual modules are placed. The bus topology is thenproduced, and the bus modules required for implementation, the cablesrequired and, if appropriate, any interface converters required aredefined. If desired, the apparatus according to the invention may alsoestimate the required cable length if, for example, a chart of possiblemachine locations has been entered.

In a simplified embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention,signal lists can be processed by the apparatus which have already beenproduced by responsible personnel but which would otherwise be producedby the apparatus itself. As already indicated above, the signal listsessentially include information relating to the signaling for individualmachine parts.

In this context, FIG. 1 shows the process of reading 101 and furtherprocessing the signal list data 104. In this case, the signal list isproduced from the matching of the mechanical design 102 and electricaldesign 103, in the simplest case by a planner and in the automated caseby the system according to the invention. This includes, in particular,data relating to peripheral signals which are sequentially assigned tobus modules. These signals comprise, for example, information relatingto the sequential number of the peripheral signal, its function and itsequipment identity (BMK). (In this context, see FIG. 5).

In addition, the apparatus according to the invention or, in thesimplified embodiment a planner once again, produces a businterconnection list 105 for each machine part 102, which businterconnection list 105 is associated with the signal list 104 andcontains information relating to the machine part 102 and the fieldbusmodule type. The signal list 104 and the bus interconnection list 105are completed both in the simplified use and in the fully automatic useof the apparatus according to the invention in the subsequent inventivemethod step. In the process, the equipment identity of the connectedfieldbus module and the module terminal are entered in the signal list104 for each sensor signal, and connected to the sensor or actuator.Furthermore, the bus interconnection list 105 has added to it theequipment identity (BMK) of the interbus module used and the sequence ofthe interbus modules used, and the number of meters required of therespective cable type to be used are listed. The completed and definedlists are then further processed by the apparatus according to theinvention, in both embodiments. The apparatus according to the inventionuses the supplied data, in particular from the bus interconnection list105 to produce the fieldbus topology. Furthermore, the apparatusaccording to the invention checks whether the bus topology which isproduced is technically feasible, or whether it contains errors. Inaddition, the signal list 104 [lacuna] the apparatus according to theinvention has information about the bit address and byte address addedto it as appropriate, on the basis of the information as to which busdevice has been used and which equipment terminal has been used.

As already mentioned above, manual adaptation of the parameters and bustopologies determined by the apparatus is also possible. In this way, ifnecessary, the apparatus according to the invention and the methodaccording to the invention allow the configured bus systems to bematched or adapted to the practical requirements for theirimplementation, in the course of an interactive process.

A so-called bus design editor 200 (FIG. 2) is used in a furtherpreferred embodiment or use of the apparatus according to the invention.

The bus design editor 200 reads machine-related data 202, for examplefrom a machine construction drawing for a machine part, to the apparatusaccording to the invention. The bus design editor 200 places thefieldbus modules 206 associated with the machine part at the top left inthe corner of an output page, once the bus interconnection list 105 hasbeen completed for this machine part, 102, 202. If this should not bethe case, the apparatus according to the invention can select individualmodules 207 from a company-specific index of fieldbus modules used,either automatically or by means of external instructions. In bothcases, the modules are placed on the machine construction drawing 208without any constraints. The modules are in this case linked to oneanother by lines 209, which represent the cables for data transmissionand power supplies. These lines are then assigned, for example, cableparameters, such as their length. The apparatus according to theinvention can then use the information stored in this way to produce abus interconnection list 105 and a bus topology automatically or,optionally, under external control, or to import or export theinformation to an ECAD tool, and produce a circuit diagram.

FIG. 3 shows the basic screen layout 300. The system is visualized atthe top left 306, and the electronic equipment store is shown at thebottom left 307, from which the user or the apparatus according to theinvention can select equipment. The view selected by the user in the“View” menu item appears on the right-hand side 308.

The design illustration in FIG. 4 shows the screen layout when the view410 “Design” has been selected. The machine construction drawing isshown in the background on the right-hand part of the illustration 408.The foreground contains schematic drawings of the interbus modules 411and the cables 409 which connect them together. The illustrated partialstep of the method according to the invention is used to plan the powersupply and the bus connection for the modules, and to give the user theoption of arranging the modules in the program in the same way as theyare actually installed in the system.

The signal list in FIG. 5 shows the screen layout when view 510 “SignalList” 504 has been selected. The right-hand part of the illustrationcontains the signal list 504 with the columns “Sensor Serial No.” 512,“Function Text” 513, “BMK” 514, “IB-BMK” 515, “Equipment Terminal” 516,“Control Address” 517, “Variable Name” 518, “Bit Address” 519, “ByteAddress” 520 and “Completed” 521.

The bus interconnection list in FIG. 6 shows the screen layout when theview 610 “Bus Interconnection List” 605 has been selected. Theright-hand path of the FIG. 608 shows the bus interconnection list 605with the columns “Machine Part” 622, “IB-BMK” 615, “Subscriber Name”624, “Subscriber Type” 625, “IB Predecessor” 626, “Cable Type Bus” 627,“Cable Length in m” 628, “Control Address” 617, “Alternative” 630 and“Completed” 631.

For the purpose of the invention, the “Completed” and “Alternative”columns are used as result columns for the practical implementation. Theperson responsible uses these columns for example, to enter commentsrelating to the points at which he has had to make changes from therequirements of the specific plan for the practical implementation. Thisinformation can then in turn be read to the apparatus according to theinvention, and can be used for adaptation of the status existing there,for the purposes of nominal/actual comparisons.

FIG. 7 shows a block diagram which is intended to explain various levelsof the method according to the invention in an overview. A distinction701, 702, 703 is drawn there between a total of three possibleprocessing levels, broken down roughly, which are combined like modulesin the apparatus according to the invention. This comprises the level ofsignal list production 701 using the signal list tool, the level of businterconnection list production 702 using the bus interconnection listtool, and the level of the bus design editor 703, which may at leastpartially cover the levels referred to above and, in addition, can beused for topology design. The individual tools may be used eitherselectively or in combination. The apparatus according to the inventiontherefore also directly offers the option of being used to assistexisting paper-oriented methods.

The essential steps of signal list production are the step of definingand/or detecting the peripheral signals and the equipment identities ofthe sensors and actuators of the machine part 704, the step of signallist generation 705, and the step of addressing, by producing bit andbyte addresses 706.

The bus interconnection list production 702 is carried out in particularon the basis of the following sub-steps: detecting and/or defining therelevant machine parts and the bus subscriber type 707, producing thebus interconnection list 708 and checking the interconnections 709.

Level 703 of the bus design editor includes, among other items, the stepof reading the machine construction drawing 710 and the step of checkingthe interconnections and producing a complete interconnectioninstruction 711, as essential method steps.

All levels allow the option of being able to make supplementary inputs712 in order, for example, to allow an “actual-nominal” or“practical-theoretical” adaptation to be carried out or, in addition, inorder to attach modules and cables, that is to say information.

Furthermore, all the levels are connected to a so-called documentationlevel 713 on which, for example, circuits and/or documentation can beproduced using a documentation tool. By way of example, one such toolmay be the already mentioned ECAD tool.

1. An apparatus for planning of parameters or bus system configurations,comprising: a device for planning bus system parameters orconfigurations in a form of at least one of digital information, plansand graphical representations, including: a device that detects, storesand selects input data comprising machine-related data and bus-relateddata, a device that automatically provides a bus system architecture onthe basis of the input data, and at least one output device that atleast one of outputs, displays, and transmits data.
 2. The apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a device thatcarries out selected manual or automated logical operations on the inputdata.
 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatuscomprises a device that addresses the bus data.
 4. The apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the machine-related data comprises, inparticular, design data and, in particular, data relating to sensors oractuators.
 5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatuscomprises a device that carries out interactive logic operations on datafields or data.
 6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein theapparatus is used for configuration on fieldbus systems.
 7. Theapparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises adevice that reads data from a machine construction drawing.
 8. Theapparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein an ECAD processing tool islinkable to the apparatus.
 9. A method for planning bus systemparameters or configurations in a form of at least one of digitalinformation, lists, plans and graphical representations, comprising thefollowing steps: a) detecting, storing and selecting input datacomprising machine-related data and bus-related data, b) automaticallydesigning a bus system architecture on the basis of the input data, andc) at least one of outputting, displaying, and transmitting data by anoutput device.
 10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step ofdetecting, storing and selecting machine-related data comprises, inparticular, the step of detecting design data.
 11. The method as claimedin claim 9, wherein the step of detecting, storing and selecting designdata comprises, in particular, the step of detecting data from machineor machine part sensors or actuators that are to be driven.
 12. Themethod as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of detecting, storing andselecting comprises the step of reading a machine construction drawing.13. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the method comprises thestep of matched selection and assignment of bus modules to the designdata.
 14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the step ofselection and assignment of bus modules comprises the step of at leastpartially carrying out logic operations on the machine-related data andthe bus-related data.
 15. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein themethod comprises the step of at least partially carrying out matchedlogic operations between the bus modules.
 16. The method as claimed inclaim 9, wherein the method comprises the step of addressing data. 17.The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the method comprises the stepof testing the bus system architecture.
 18. The method as claimed inclaim 9, wherein the method comprises the step of interchanging datawith an ECAD data processing tool.
 19. The method as claimed in claim 9,wherein the bus system comprises fieldbus systems.